Obsession
by hope-is-4ever
Summary: Knives finds himself with a problem. And the cause, you ask? One Meryl Stryfe.
1. Obsession

A/N: I know I should be working on Roommates, but I wanted to get this story finished first. It's a short one, roughly four chapters. Working on the third one right now.

But as Spring Break is coming for me I won't have the internet to put up the second for a week and a half. Sorry!

---------------------------------------------

**Chapter 1: The Obsession**

Obsession, Knives had decided, was something that crept up on a person, or at least in his case. He'd held a grudge against humanity, even attempted to destroy the entire species on more than one occasion. And by the time Knives had figured out that he'd developed a preoccupation with homo sapiens, he'd been beyond caring.

But his brother had put a halt to his plans and his obsession. By gunpoint, no less. And the months of bed rest that followed had only succeeded in something even worse happening. At least that was the way he saw it.

For you see, he had switched from one obsession to another. Certainly the first one remained, if only a little bit. Such a thing as hating an entire race enough to destroy them simply didn't disappear overnight. He still held more than a trace amount of anger and rage at the humans, but taking out his feelings on them no longer held the appeal it once had.

The half-year that he spent recuperating, being coddled by the two humans and his brother, had changed him. Now his thoughts were filled with something other than his next plan to destroy humanity. Instead, visions of black hair and violet eyes danced through his head. Meryl Stryfe, insurance agent and one of the two resident humans, had captured his attention.

And he'd tried to put her out of his system. But like a sand leech that had latched onto your leg, she'd been impossible to ignore. He'd tried everything, too.

After he'd made the startling (and frightening) discovery that he was obsessing over a human, he'd tried different tactics to purge her from his system.

At first Knives had simply pretended that she didn't exist. Before his discovery he'd spoken a few words to the human. This had ceased after he'd figured out how she was effecting him. Every time Meryl had entered the room he would act as if she weren't there, but then she'd made it her personal mission to get him to pay attention to her. She'd practically camped out in his room. The woman read a little, but most of the time she spoke to him. Even when she had been met with complete silence the woman had never had the sense to shut up!

Eventually he'd snapped and it had been only his strange fascination with her that had saved the woman from a certain death by angel blade. Still, in his rage he'd fiercely grabbed her shoulders and pressed her against the nearest wall, pinning her their with his own body until they were nose to nose.

Suffice to say both of them had been shocked at his uncharacteristic behavior. When the red haze had lifted from his eyes he'd slowly backed away, letting her slide down the wall until her feet touched the ground.

"That is enough," he told her. "I do not know why you've incessantly bothered me, but as you haven't noticed, I wish to be alone."

Amazingly, Meryl had not been angry or frightened by his behavior; not a tremor or a speck of rage colored her voice. "I should be the one asking you what you think _you're _doing. Knives." "You suddenly stopped speaking to me. I had no way of knowing why." A lock of hair fell in front of her eyes and she impatiently pushed it away. "Do you honestly believe that I would leave you alone? Not with your history of violence!"

But he never heard her question. His mind was still wrapped around that strand of hair that she had so carelessly flicked away. Knives' body was almost trembling at the realization that he had _wanted_ to touch and move that hair. He, ruthless plant and killer of millions, had wanted to touch a human. He'd wanted to smooth his hand over her soft skin, tucking those black strands behind her ear...

Now Knives had little experience with intimacies of any kind, let alone physical. So these renegade thoughts of his had shaken him to his very core. And he dealt with it in the only way he knew how.

He ran away.

Not literally, of course. Instead he'd lashed out at the source of his distress, pushing away the unknown, his confusion adding a harsh tone to his words. His brows narrowed into a frown at the woman before him and his already cold eyes had hardened into glaciers.

"And am I supposed to care that you do not understand my actions?" He took a menacing step toward her. "You are _nothing_ to me, _human_. Your words, feelings, and even your life are insignificant."

By now he'd backed her into the wall again and as he watched a single tear trickled from one violet eye to cascade down her pale skin.

He'd forced himself to harden against her obvious distress. Knives knew that he shouldn't care if he'd made her cry or the possibility that he was pushing her away for good.

She bowed her head, hiding her shining eyes and wet cheeks. "I'm sorry," she whispered, no small amount of self-derision coloring her voice, "I had no idea that I was such a bother to you."

Without lifting her eyes she'd made her way out of the room.

---------------------------------------------

That had been a week ago and he'd not seen her since. Even when he'd ventured out of his room there had been no Meryl around the house. He'd checked, too. Berating himself the entire time, Knives had stealthily searched each room while Vash and Millie had been occupied elsewhere. Not only that, but he'd looked for her on _three_ separate occasions, and at different times of the day.

Seriously annoyed and feeling very uneasy Knives finally sat himself down on his bed to explore his actions. Why, he asked himself, was he getting so worked up over a measly human. He had seen many like her over his long life, before he'd settled down at his spaceship. Though Knives did admit that she was more optimistic and brave than the typical human.

She was certainly shorter than most, barely coming up to his chest, but she more than made up for it in attitude. Meryl was a one woman army when there was something that needed to be done. Her work ethic was commendable, even by his outrageously high standards.

Her black hair was of a normal hue, except for the blue highlights that seemed to shine in the sun...

He shook his head as if to clear the image from his mind. Lately his thoughts had been straying like that. Rather than focusing on whatever he was doing, he'd find his thoughts steering toward her. Which was one of the reasons why he was analyzing himself at the moment.

But back on the topic, the only abnormal quality about her was her violet eyes. It wasn't everyday that you saw a human that possessed that color of iris.

Other than that she was normal. So why was he obsessing over her? Why?!

Knives stood and began to restlessly pace his bedroom. As far back as he could remember there had only been two people in his entire life that he had held any measure of feelings for. His brother and...Rem.

Just thinking about her brought a torrent of confused and jumbled emotions. On the one hand she'd been both mentor and mother, and on the other she'd been another human who'd enslaved his sisters.

But thinking about her brought him back into the past, before he'd set out to destroy the human race, back when him, Vash, and Rem had lived together happily.

One particular memory came to mind. It had occurred not long before his beatings at the hands of Steve had begun.

---------------------------------------------

Rem had been growing even more determined to educate them in everything human. And with their rapid physical growth, she'd taken it upon herself one day to teach them about their bodies.

Even now he shuddered remembering when she'd told them about the "birds and the bees". Vash and him had been nothing more than mortified along with a thoroughly embarrassed Rem.

After that she'd started them on a new series of videos that were all in the romance genre. They'd watched a lot of "classics," as Rem had described them. Everything from _Gone With The Wind_ to _Wuthering Heights_ was part of their 'learning.'

And when they'd finished watching the movies she'd chosen for them, Rem had set them aside and talked to them about what they'd seen. She'd explained about what the word love meant and the different aspects of it.

---------------------------------------------

Knives shuddered horribly. No. He had to be wrong. There was no possible way that he was in love with a human female; especially the particular female by the name of Meryl Stryfe.

But the plant knew he was just deluding himself. Somehow, someway she'd wormed her way into his heart. Maybe it had been her stern, but kind demeanor? Or was it the way the sun shined on her porcelain skin?

Gah!

The plant knew that he shouldn't be thinking these things. These thoughts of his were dangerous, both to his sanity and his health.

For the past month his dreams had been plagued by a small woman with violet eyes. The female had aroused new and frightening emotions, ones that he'd never felt for a human since Rem. Protectiveness, possessiveness...love.

He hadn't needed an interpreter to figure out that the woman was Meryl. But for him to feel like that toward her, a human he'd known for a short time, one of the females that followed his brother around, had caused him even more grief.

But the big question was what was he going to do about these traitorous feelings? As much as Knives wished that they would simply go away, he was not naive enough to believe that problems such as this solved themselves. No, he would have to do something himself. But what?

He knew that before his brother had bested him he wouldn't have hesitated in destroying her. But now...now Knives knew that he couldn't harm her. To do so would hurt him as well. For no matter how disgusted he was with himself, his affection for her was too great.

What did humans usually do in these types of situations, he asked himself? Well, if he were to go by the movies he'd seen as a child, and if he were to consider himself the leading male character, then he should rush off to find her and apologize, allowing them both to have a happy ending.

Just the thought made him shudder yet again. Did human males really indulge in such unseemly behavior? They had to have no pride whatsoever.

But, a small voice in his mind asked him, would it be such a bad idea to go and find her? It had been awhile and something urged him to see her, to check if she was alright.

Yes, that was what he would do, Knives decided. He would find her and assuage these urgent feelings.

The first step would be to talk to Vash. He would know where the tiny woman was.


	2. Gone

A/N: Here's the second chapter. As always, thanks to those who've reviewed: venG, ginsensu, darkbangle, lily-the-fox, and Anonymous.

And to those who can't wait for Roommates, I'm working on it.

---------------------------------------------

**Chapter 2: Gone**

_She was gone_. Knives sat upon his creaky, worn-down bed and reflected upon those three simple words.

_Flashback_

He'd gone downstairs, intent on hunting down his brother and finding out where the small woman had disappeared since his outburst. The other twin was in the kitchen, sitting at the small table and munching on his favorite meal of donuts.

Knives leaned against the door jam, trying to appear casual, as if this question wasn't important to him. "Vash."

His brother's head shot up, surprise written all over his face. The platinum blond saw that his right hand had reached below the table out of habit, grasping for a gun that was no longer there.

"Boy, Knives, do you have to sneak up on me like that?" The spiky-haired man ran a hand through his locks and let out a long sigh. While the greeting had been playful, his tone had been anything but. There was a weariness and...anger, that hadn't been there before.

The genocidal man contemplated on how to broach the subject about the woman, but Vash beat him to the punch.

"If you're looking for Meryl, you won't find her here."

He blinked. "Explain."

In a sudden fit of temper, Vash slammed his hands on the table and stood, rocking the box of donuts. "What do you mean "explain"!? She left because of you!" He took a deep breath to calm himself. In the doorway Knives had been shocked into silence by his brother's uncharacteristic display.

"I don't know what you said to her, she wouldn't tell me," he continued in a tired voice. "But whatever it was drove her to reassign herself back to Bernardelli headquarters."

"She's...gone?" Knives couldn't believe that that was his voice saying those words in such a disappointed tone. How sad he had become. Distantly he sat himself at the table across from Vash, who was still standing and staring at him with a worried expression.

"...Knives?"

His brother didn't hear him. He was too lost in his own thoughts to understand anything but what he'd been told. It _hurt_, knowing that she was far and long gone from him. Something in his chest clenched tightly. What was _wrong_ with him!?

Rough hands grabbed his shoulders and gave them a good shake. Coming to his senses, Knives shoved away his brother. Vash fell backwards against the refrigerator, a shocked look on his face.

"What are you doing, Vash!?" The platinum-blond's voice unexpectedly came out as a shrill scream. Surprised at his lack of control, Knives clamped a hand over his mouth.

Eying him warily, the gunfighter pushed himself off of the appliance. Cautiously he asked, "What's wrong?" He kept his voice low and unthreatening. Having dealt with criminals and desperate humans for over a century he knew how to placate someone who was distressed.

Knives turned away without answering him, eyes shut tightly as if in pain. Deciding to give him some time, Vash sat back down in his chair.

For several minutes the room was quiet. Neither of the men spoke. Outside the kitchen window the suns were setting. _'Millie will be coming home soon...'_ Vash thought to himself.

"Vash."

Said man looked to his brother, who had finally raised his head and was staring at him. "You understand human emotions, do you not?"

He had no idea where this conversation was heading, but the outlaw nodded anyway.

""Are they, emotions I mean...reversible?"

Before Vash could stop himself he'd let out a loud guffaw. Knives glared at him and his brother smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, Knives. I couldn't help it!"

"Just answer the question."

"Okay." The spiky-haired man leaned forward. "But you won't like my answer."

Knives snorted. "Then I have to live with these annoying _feelings_?"

Vash cocked an eyebrow and waited for his twin to expound on that statement. He kept the enthusiasm he felt on the inside to himself. As far as he could tell, his brother was finally learning to feel emotions; and that was indeed a wonderful thing. Mentally crossing his fingers, Vash prayed that this was a new turn in Knives' life; one where he'd give up his genocidal tendencies.

Meanwhile across the table, the genocidal maniac in question was holding a conversation with himself...out loud.

"Damn that woman. It's all her fault. All of this!"

"Um, Knives? Does any of this have to do with Meryl?" Pretending innocence, Vash offered a sympathetic ear.

His twin narrowed his eyes at him. "Looking for gossip, dear brother?"

"Dear brother" sputtered and leaned back in his chair. He'd been found out! Diversion, he needed a diversion!

"Of course not! I just wanted to help you!"

He got a sneer for his blatant lie. "Right. And I'm a human." Knives waved a hand as Vash opened his mouth to reply. "No matter. I have no choice but to talk to you. There is no other option."

"Thanks for making me feel wanted," the outlaw replied with fake bitterness.

"You're welcome," Knives quipped back. "But back to these feelings I've been having." The plant looked away, slightly embarrassed. This wasn't the type of thing he liked to even think about, let alone discuss with his brother. "There's a pain right here," he indicated his chest. "It only hurts when I think about that human female."

Vash reached for a donut and started chewing, silently mulling over his brother's words. He finished the treat off with a loud gulp and contemplated his sibling. "Based on what I've seen over the years with humans," he began slowly, "I'd have to say that you're in love."

_Not_ the answer Knives wanted to hear. "Preposterous! As if I could feel affection for such a lowly creature." It couldn't be true. There was no way! He stood up. "You're wrong, Vash," he told his brother with quiet firmness.

The older twin didn't wait to hear what his brother had to say. Instead he quickly left, heading back up the stairs and to his room.

_End Flashback_

So that was where he sat now. He had no idea how long he'd been sitting there, contemplating the conversation with his brother. Outside his window the sky had turned dark and the moons and stars had come out.

Knives ran a hand through his short-blond hair. This was all too frustrating, the plant thought to himself. Throughout his long years he'd never had such confusion over his feelings. There had never been a time when he'd examined his hatred and anger toward the human race. Rather, he'd used those feelings to propel himself toward his goals.

His fingers clenched sporadically. But these feelings were much harder to control. They burned red hot, rising and falling like the flames of a fire. With a growl Knives rose to his feet and began to pace.

It was all that woman's fault, it just had to be. So how was he going to solve this problem!? Vash had told him that there was no solution, but there had to be.

Maybe if he were to confront her a solution would come to him? Knives stopped and mulled over that idea. The plan seemed to be a smart one, but he was suspicious of its source. The plant absolutely didn't trust anything that came from the area around his heart. That was the same place these emotions were emanating from.

Still...there was no other forthcoming answer to his dilemma. Right then. He'd track down the human female and face both her and these annoying feelings.

His mind made up, Knives strode up to his dresser and began pulling out clothes. The sooner he got this over with, the better.


	3. Getting Some Answers

A/N: The next installment of _Obsession_. I've actually had this chapter completed for awhile, but my beta just wouldn't look it over for me. As such, this chapter this hasn't been edited, so I apologize for any mistakes you might find.

Not sure if I need to say this, but I know how much language varies among people. As such, I thought I'd give a warning. To me, the words 'bar' and 'counter' are inter-changeable and will be used as such.

---------------------------------------------

**Chapter 3: Getting Some Answers**

Dust rose up in a cloud as Knives alighted from the rickety bus. He stepped onto the nearby boardwalk and pressed himself against a building, shifting his bag around and avoiding as much contact with people as possible. All around him humans walked and talked, going about their daily business. Disgusting.

The plant observed as Vash and Millie made their way down the bus steps. When he had made his plans known his brother had immediately vetoed his going alone. There was no way on Gunsmoke that Vash was going to allow his twin, who until recently was killing humans indiscriminately, to go anywhere without him.

Of course, Millie couldn't let the outlaw of her sight. It was her job, after all, to keep an eye on him. In conclusion, the one week journey had been pure hell for Knives. Both of them drove him crazy with their incessant jovial attitudes and chatter. He considered himself a saint for not having left them behind after the first day!

But finally they'd arrived at their destination. If all went well he would be able to meet Meryl and regain control over himself by dinner time.

That said, he glared as Vash and Millie took their time walking up to him. The plant had no patience left for the two of them.

Vash noticed the black look he was receiving. "Something wrong, Knives?"

"Nothing," he growled. "Which way is it to the woman's home?"

Millie chirped up, "This way!" pointing up the street.

"Lead the way, Millie," the Humanoid Typhoon urged.

The siblings followed the big girl as she led them through the streets of December. People from all walks of life, bankers, mothers, thieves, passed them. Knives' mental ability was going haywire with the bombardment of thoughts from the large population. Unlike Vash who'd never honed his powers to achieve any mental abilities, the psychotic brother had practiced with his plant abilities until his control was almost flawless.

Though the problem he had found was that he'd never trained himself to deal with a barrage created by large groups of humans. It appeared solitude had its drawbacks.

Not able to take it any longer, he closed down his ability altogether. Blocking his powers was a handicap, but it was either that or he would get the biggest headache ever known.

"Should have just used it to have her kill herself in the first place..." he grumbled to himself. His traitorous heart gave a painful twinge at the thought of Meryl dead.

"You say something, Knives?" His brother was giving him an odd look.

"No."

"I could have sworn..."

"No."

The outlaw sighed. "Okay..."

Knives ignored him and focused on a much bigger problem, one that had surfaced in the last week. His mind continually referred to the human female by her given name, 'Meryl', rather than his typical 'woman' or 'human.' Most annoying but there didn't seem to be much he could do to change his thoughts. The best he could do was to keep himself from saying her name out loud.

"Knives?"

The soft voice caught his attention and he abruptly stopped walking. He'd been strolling on the boardwalk, out of the way of passing vehicles. On his right the street was lined with stores. And standing in the doorway of one of the buildings was the woman he'd been looking for.

"Meryl?" The name slipped out before he could block the word.

The woman in question blinked in surprise. In each of her hands she held a shopping bag filled with an assortment of items. She opened her mouth but at that moment Millie scooped the small woman in her arms. The two had noticed that Knives had not been following them and had come back to find him.

"Meryl! I missed you!"

Both insurance ladies laughed and traded information while the two plants looked on.

"My goodness." Meryl's hair and usual white outfit had gotten slightly wrinkled in all the hugging, but to the genocidal plant she'd never looked better. Oh, he had to talk to her soon. He was only getting worse.

The petite woman looked at each of them. "What are you all doing here?"

Millie answered for them, much to Knives' distress. "Mr. Knives wanted to see you, Meryl, and we couldn't let him go off on his own."

"Oh he did, did he?" She sent the man in question a sideways glare.

He resisted the urge to step back and then scoffed at his behavior. She was only what, 5'2? Still, the woman could be as scary as himself when she wanted to be.

"Where are all of you staying?" Meryl glanced at Millie and than at the two gentlemen.

Vash spoke up for the first time. "We thought that the Big Girl's place would work."

"Millie," the small woman scolded with a finger, "you know you're place is too small for three people."

"But Meeeerrrrryl, there wasn't a choice."

Meryl rolled her eyes and sighed. "It's alright, Millie. But maybe we could do something different. I can take one of the boys."

She was looking at Vash and summarily ignoring him, but Knives wasn't going to stand for that. This was the perfect opportunity for him to have that talk with her.

"Vash will go with the tall one." His tone was final and he tilted his chin in the air, daring anyone to argue with him.

"Knives-" Vash was cut off by a hand waving in his face.

The short-haired blond blew a frustrated breath of air. "I won't do anything to harm the humans, so you do not need to babysit me."

Nervously the outlaw adjusted the bag over his shoulder. "Alright. But I have your word on that."

"Yes, yes." Knives' tone was flippant, but he heard the underlying threat in his brother's words. It said, 'do something and you'll get riddled with bullets...again'. If only that was an idle warning. The psycho knew that his brother would be able to defeat him in a one-on-one gunfight with no angel arms.

Now he had to convince the woman currently scowling at him that this was a good idea. Swallowing his pride, Knives opted for the truth. "I only wish to speak with you about certain...matters."

She eyed him wearily, but said nothing. After a moments deliberation she let out a loud sigh, her shoulders slumping in weariness, and he knew he'd won this round. "Fine."

"Yay!" Millie cried. "You guys get to have a sleep over!" Sweat drops appeared on everyone's forehead as they stared at her, grimacing.

"Sure, Millie," her partner placated her, patting her arm with the plastic bag in her hand crinkling.

As night was setting in both parties decided to journey to their separate destinations. Goodbyes were said and plans were made for meeting up tomorrow. Luckily the next day was Saturday and Meryl had the time off to spend with her friends.

The two unlikely companions watched as Millie and Vash walked into the distance. When they were no more than specks, Meryl turned in another direction. Her entire demeanor was curt and formal. "This way."

Neither said a word as the plant followed the insurance lady through the city streets. The walk was not long and soon he found himself standing in front of an apartment building. Setting down one of her bags, Meryl pressed a few buttons on a panel by the entrance. He distinctly heard a 'ding' and the woman quickly reached out and grasped the door handle, pulling the portal open.

She was in a rather awkward position with holding the door open with one hand while trying to grab the bag on the ground with the other. Without thinking he reached down and grasped the sack for her.

He stood there as she stared at him. The young woman reached out to take her item from him, but he drew his hand away and out of her reach. Meryl got the hint. He was going to carry it for her.

A small smile lit up her face. "Thank you." He gave her a bored look.

Eyes rolling at his attitude, the human held open the door as Knives breezed past her and into the dimly lit corridor beyond. He waited for her to catch up and again followed her up two flights of stairs and to one of the apartment doors with the lettering 'C-8' written on it.

Meryl fumbled with her keys for a moment before inserting one into the lock and turning the knob. She pushed the door open and made a motion for him to enter first. There was a small entryway as one entered her home. Beyond that was a small living room with an equally tiny kitchen off to the side. Knives spotted a hallway leading deeper into the apartment, probably to the sleeping and bathing area.

A large window looked out onto the city. The view was not spectacular, there was a building across the street which obscured much, but in the distance one could see the rooftops rising above December.

Behind him the door clicked shut and he watched as Meryl set down her bag on the counter that divided the kitchen and living space. The man copied her example and set his own sack down, just under the lip of the counter and out of the way.

While the female busied herself with putting her groceries away, he examined her living space. The area matched her character; clean and tidy, everything was organized. The books were upon the shelf and in alphabetical order. There weren't any items laying around and creating a cluttered space. The floor was clean and the kitchen counters spotless. The furniture was sparse but comfortable looking; with a small love-seat and chair surrounding a coffee table.

He was sure that if he were to see the rest of her apartment, it would match these two rooms. The plant found himself nodding in approval of her habits. Really, if Knives were to admit it to himself, he would wish his living area to be like this.

The plant felt a presence at his side and he looked down at Meryl's frowning face. "The bathroom's that way. And if you need me, my room is just across the hall." The woman indicated the small corridor leading deeper into the apartment.

Knives nodded to show that he understood. The man was still debating on how to broach the subject he'd come all this way for.

"I'll go get some blankets for you then." The young woman headed for her bedroom.

Silently he watched as Meryl disappeared from sight. The female had automatically assumed that he would be the one to sleep on the floor. Which...was probably how things were going to work out. Damn his upbringing. There might have not have been more than a year that he'd spent with Rem, but she'd taught him the basics of how to treat women.

Not that he'd cared to use them in his lifetime, but never had he met a woman that impressed him. Knives couldn't really imagine himself forcing her to sleep on the floor while he took the bed. A small voice in the vicinity of his heart gave him compunction over that idea.

He absolutely _had_ to get this over with. These thoughts and feelings were _not_ normal.

Meryl soon came back with an armful of blankets and a pillow. Ignoring Knives, she set them down on the counter and proceeded to rearrange her furniture. While small, the seating was heavy and she was obviously having problems with the love-seat.

The plant had taken those few long strides toward her and grasped the object in his large hands before he'd finished the thought. The young lady was as surprised as he and for a few moments both of them stared into the other's wide eyes.

Knives was the first to look away. With a push the furniture had been moved against one wall of the room, allowing enough space for him to make a bed out of the floor. The insurance lady busied herself with making his temporary cot. She divulged more care into the task than he would have thought, considering their less than friendly terms.

Her efficiency guaranteed a quick job and she was done in only a few minutes time. Meryl stood and admired her work before turning to Knives. "Are you hungry?"

The previously frosty demeanor she'd cloaked around herself was chipping away, he could see it. But then, that was in her nature, apparently. She would not have allowed him into her house otherwise; not after what he'd said to her.

And he was hungry. The last meal the plant had eaten was this morning's breakfast. The three of them had decided on a non-stop bus ride to save time and thus had skipped lunch. "Yes." His stomach chose that second to growl rather loudly, as if in agreement.

Meryl smiled as he laid a hand over the embarrassing organ. Knives tried not to blush. Damn the thing and its incessant calls for food.

"I'll go make you something then." Still sporting that ridiculous grin, she breezed past him and into her tiny kitchen.

As she began pulling items out of the cupboards and fridge, Knives strode up to the counter and set his elbows upon the surface, striking a relaxed pose. He contemplated bringing up the conversation he'd come to have, but than thought better of it. _Food first_.

---------------------------------------------

An hour later found the male finishing off the rest of the meal Meryl had prepared for the two of them. There was no dining table so they had instead settled onto the stools to eat their dinner. With his wide shoulders the room on the five foot long bar was small and cramped, but they made the best of it. And, surprisingly, the conversation was not as stinted as Knives had expected.

The topics never went beyond the threesome's trip and Meryl's job, but the stories about the accidents that befell Vash were enough to bring anyone to tears. The plant noticed that she made no mention of their fight and the reason that she had left. It was quite obvious that she was avoiding the subject, especially since she tactfully steered the talk away from any mention of the time when they'd lived together with Millie and his brother.

That meant that he would have to be the one to broach the issue at hand; and being the outgoing and socially-ignorant being that he was, Knives bluntly inquired why she'd been so offended as to decide that leaving was the best option.

Meryl almost dropped the plates she was holding. "W-what?"

He eyed her disdainfully. "Ignorance does not become you."

Her tone turned defensive. "Excuse me!?"

Oh boy. This wasn't going like he'd planned. Still, there was a vague thought in the back of his mind. First and foremost to him was that the human woman had insulted him. But rather than what had been his usual reaction of destroying the offensive spider, Knives felt an inclination to win; to dominate and master her. A disturbing, primitive feeling, but at the same time the pull was too strong to resist.

Knives rose to his feet, standing to his full height and towered over Meryl who was on the other side of the counter. Unbeknownst to him, his naturally cold eyes were hot and smoldering with an unnamed emotion. Involuntarily the insurance lady took a step away from him. Even with the separation between them, the look in his eyes and his posture frightened her. The tough image she usually exuded was no barrier under that gaze.

"I believe I asked you a question."

The plant's voice, deep and silky, caused a quiver to run down her spine. Squaring her shoulder, her hands gripping the plates with white knuckles, she said, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

His smile was slow and dangerous, daring her to play the fool. "Don't you think you should stop dodging the issue, Ms. Stryfe?"

"I'm not dodging anything!" she argued. _Except for him_, her mind supplied. And indeed, she was slowly inching away from him, toward the opposite side of the kitchen. Meryl quickly found that was a foolish idea once he quickly vaulted over the tiny counter, his long limbs easily pulling himself up and over. His abrupt maneuver also happened to block the entryway into and out of the kitchen. She should have just made her exit out of the cooking area and then out the front door.

This felt like a game of cat and mouse. Or rather like he was a Venus fly-trap and she the fly, though she supposed that spider would have been a more fitting euphemism.

What had happened to the distant and formal Knives she knew? It felt as if she was dealing with a completely different person. Or, maybe, this was a side of him he'd never shown before.

Either way, Meryl was very scared. He was advancing on her with purposeful strides, eyes intent on her. She knew what he wanted: answers. Why she'd left in the first place, how his words had effected her; he wanted to know everything. Meryl was both surprised and shocked that he'd asked about her motives for returning to December. Whatever his reasons for coming all this way to ask her that (for she was now sure that was why he'd come) she couldn't tell him.

Not meaning to sound overly dramatic, but she'd rather die than answer him with the truth. But nothing was going to stop him, not unless she thought of something quick.

The tinkle of pottery reminded her that she wasn't completely unarmed. In her hands were two plates, both made out of sturdy clay. A good hit from one of them would cause a great deal of bruising for a man if enough force were used. Of course it was wise to note that Knives was not an ordinary man. Therefore, both plates were needed.

She bided her time, waiting for him to get within a yard of herself. With her aim (or lack thereof) having any length of distance between them was not recommended. He was obviously in no hurry, opting instead (or what it felt like to her) to draw out the terrifying experience.

His white gloved hand reached for her and Meryl knew that it was now or never. With movements quick enough to rival his own, she pulled her arms back slightly, like one does before throwing a baseball, and let the plates fly!

They struck their intended target square in the chest and chin, knocking him backwards and into the bar he'd jumped over earlier. Wasting no time, Meryl made a dash for the front door. If she could only make it out into the hallway someone would be able to help her. The walls were notoriously thick in this apartment complex. The only way she could gain anyone's attention was for her to make noise outside of her quarters.

She made it to the opening, her hand grasping the knob, twisted it. Before Meryl could give a hard tug to open the door the deadbolt suddenly turned with an ominous 'click'. Frantically, without even bothering to wonder why the lock had turned on its own, she tried to turn it back to the unlocked position.

The thing wouldn't budge. It was like there was an invisible hand holding the piece of metal in place. Then, a sound behind her had her blood run cold. Footsteps. Heavy, sure footsteps came from the kitchen and toward herself.

A small scream of terror lodged in her throat. Meryl spun around, facing her stalker. Knives stood not more than a few feet in front of her. His face looked like it had been chiseled out of stone. The harsh planes were offset only by the anger that made his eyes shine with an unnatural light.

A small dribble of blood dripped from his chin where one of the plates had created a small cut. His hand came up to wipe away the trickle of moisture. Slowly, Knives' head tilted downward and he stared at the red staining his previously white glove. Then, in a move that further unnerved Meryl, he set his eyes on her.

She shivered and pressed herself closer against the door. This was not good. The insurance lady had never seen Knives look so frightening before. The young woman kept her eyes focused on his form, watching for any threatening movements he might make.

Not that it mattered in the end. In the blink of an eye he had moved from his spot three yarzs away to the much closer location right in front of her. Rough fingers gripped her chin tightly in an unbreakable grasp. His face was mere inches from her and Meryl felt the uncomfortableness of his person as he completely invaded her personal space.

She whimpered when his digits tightened and forced her to look him straight in the eyes. Those icy-blue orbs were like burning glaciers.

He leaned forward, his breath bathing her face. "Now I will get my answers."


	4. Sorting Things Out

A/N: The next and final installment. As of this writing the chapter has not been looked over by my beta. She's not been doing her job very well. So sorry for the grammar and spelling mistakes. I'm sure there are some in there somewhere...

I'll re-upload the thing after it's been looked over. Until then, enjoy!

---------------------------------------------

**Chapter 4: Sorting Things Out**

_Previously_

_She whimpered when his digits tightened and forced her to look him straight in the eyes. Those icy-blue orbs were like burning glaciers._

_He leaned forward, his breath bathing her face. "Now I will get my answers."_

_Now_

Meryl closed her eyes to block out his intense stare. In response his grip hardened, fingers pressing deeply into her skin. It was so painful that the young woman fully expected bruises to start forming.

"Look at me."

The voice, cold and hard, commanded her in no uncertain terms that she would look or be forced to. Hesitantly, her lids like heavy weights, Meryl opened her eyes. His bored into her, blue locking onto violet.

The door behind her was unforgiving as she tried to mold herself against it. Her squirming only further fueled his anger, if the dangerous glint in his eyes told her anything.

"That is enough stalling. Tell me why you left."

Oh how she wanted to move away from him, or at least to turn her head away. But both those moves would only dig herself deeper into the hole of trouble she was already knee-deep in. Her only choice was to answer him, even if that was the last thing she wanted to do.

The hold he had on her made it difficult to talk and she told him so.

Eyes narrowed in suspicion, he nevertheless let go and stepped back and to the side, allowing her room to go and sit down on the love-seat. Calming her beating heart, Meryl shifted uncomfortably on the cushions as Knives settled himself in the nearby chair.

He sat back, crossed his legs and clasped his hands together, an expectant look on his face.

Meryl took it as her cue to begin talking. "You're wondering why I left?" she asked, hoping against hope to stall just a little bit longer.

Knives wasn't amused. His answer was simple and short. "Yes."

Gulping, Meryl continued. "Well, I thought that Vash didn't need both me and Millie around..."

The glare she was sent had her trailing off. Fine. It appeared that avoiding the truth wasn't going to work either. Anger began to set in; after all, Meryl didn't like being ordered about like a slave. Not only that, but she had invited him into her home out of the goodness in her heart. And how does he repay her? He traps her in her own apartment and forces her to answer his questions! Some gratitude!

Her tone turned defensive. "It's not like you wanted me there, anyway! From our last chat it was patently obvious what your wishes were."

His frown deepened. "What I wanted is of no importance. And you are avoiding the question."

"Of no importance?!" The incredulity oozed off her words. "I should think it would be!" In her anger she sat forward, moving to the edge of her seat.

The plant's voice rose, his fingers clenching fractionally. "That is not the topic of discussion here."

Smug in the conviction that he was a hypocrite, Meryl fell back against the cushion of the love-seat. "If you're not going to answer my questions, I don't see why I should answer yours."

_Uh-oh_...

She realized that that was the wrong thing to say as soon as the words left her mouth. If she'd thought his face had shown anger before, now he looked ready to erupt.

Voice as icy as the arctic, he said, "There are other ways for me to gain the information I seek."

It took a moment for her mind to click into what he was saying. _Oh hell no!_ Outraged, she glared sparks at him. "Don't you _dare_."

He smirked, clearly enjoying her response, and knowing that he had the upper hand.

Meryl knew when she was trapped, and Knives had thoroughly succeeded in shutting her in. She didn't look him in the eye when she finally, and truthfully, answered his oh-so-important question.

"Because I couldn't stay around you anymore." The insurance lady gave a deep, sad sigh. "You'd made it very clear that you didn't want me around."

His eyes narrowed suspiciously on her. "Why did my opinion matter so much to you?"

Meryl almost choked on her own spittle. Was he honestly asking her that!? This was _Knives_, bringer of doom and destruction, emotion-stunted-plant extraordinare! What were the odds that he'd be the one interrogating her with these questions!?

Apparently pretty good, because he was still staring at her, waiting.

The insurance lady didn't know what to tell him. Well, she did. But there was _no way_ she was going to answer his question.

So she sat there, running through various ideas about how she could get out of this situation, none of which were even remotely possible. A tingling on the edge of her senses was the only warning she got that Knives had lost all patience.

He didn't move a muscle...physically.

Almost like an itch, the plant prodded at her mind. She gasped, frozen with shock and helpless as he delved deeper, intensifying the feeling. Meryl closed her eyes, as if in pain. "No..."

One didn't realize exactly how private their mind was until someone tried to invade it. A temple for our inspirations and ideas, Meryl could feel the doors being opened. Helpless even to move, thanks to him, she could only sit there and "watch" as he opened her memories and thoughts to his perusal. Like a slide-show, he went through each one until he finally found what he was looking for.

Abruptly he pulled back and out, leaving a very shaken and disturbed Meryl in his wake. She didn't dare open her eyes to look at him, determined not to see his reaction. Tears welled up and overflowed as the shame of being exposed so thoroughly overwhelmed her.

There was silence between them. This was broken only when a sob escaped her, too difficult for even her strong will to contain. She was not going to allow him to see her like this. Rising quickly and avoiding the sight of him, she made to go to her room, where she could cry out her feelings in peace.

Only to be met with a wall of muscle.

The sudden impact sent her careening backwards. Meryl expected to greet the carpet but her movement was stilled by long arms wrapping around her form.

Startled, her violet eyes shot open and landed on her would-be savior. Halfway leaned over, Knives stared down at her, eyes narrowed. She would have taken a large gulp except for the tightening her throat had done at the impending cry. The young lady suspected he was angry. And why wouldn't he, after he'd seen her reason for leaving, forcing her to show him?

A small, but ferocious part of her bristled at that last bit. _How dare he_!? Swiftly flowing through her like a raging river of lava, anger, pure and unrestrained, took her over. Before she could control herself, her hand had reached out, delivering a sound slap to his pale cheek.

His head moved slightly to the side under the impact. They stayed in that position, he holding her, until he rotated his face back to look into hers. The blue gaze was cold, but Meryl did not back down. He'd deserved it!

In what was undoubtedly retaliation he uncurled his arms from her body, letting her fall the rest of the way to the floor. "Ow!"

She lay there staring up at him. "Jerk!"

Much to her surprise he did not try to kill her for what he would no doubt chock up to "human foolishness". Though the frigid orbs he called eyes dared her to say more.

Wisely, she kept her mouth shut. But that didn't stop her from glaring at him.

"Why did you not simply answer my question?"

That question in itself, coming from his lips, surprised her. She blinked. "Eh?"

"Did you honestly think I would destroy you for thinking such things?" His tone was even, with more than a hint of curiosity thrown in. The blue orbs were intense but no longer frigid.

Still laying there, making not a move to get up, she thought that over. Wasn't the answer obvious? "Well...yeah."

He snorted. "Then you do not know me as well as you thought."

With those cryptic words he reached down and grabbed one of her hands, hefting her to her feet.

Shaking her hand free from his she stepped back, away from him. "What _are_ you talking about?"

One hand rose to stroke his chin in a thoughtful manner. "Since I have had my inquiries answered, I assume it would only be fair to afford you the same courtesy."

Meryl felt her jaw drop. She couldn't help it. Since when had _Knives_ ever been 'fair'?

The plant continued, ignoring her shocked expression. He was almost...smug in his reasoning. "There was a reason behind my seeking you out. A...feeling, compelled me to do so."

The young woman was officially confused. "Feeling?"

The cryptic man nodded, but avoided looking her in the eye, which Meryl found curious. Up until now he'd been direct and dauntless in his interrogation. Now it almost seemed as if he was, dare she say it, shy? Just when she thought this day couldn't get any weirder...

Completely ignorant of Meryl's mental confusion, Knives was coming to a startling and ultimately horrifying conclusion. His original intent on coming to see her was to get his answers, or course, but also to rid himself of these plaguing feelings. With the first part completed, he was fully focused on achieving the second.

Too bad for him his affliction had only worsened.

Even now he found himself being pulled toward her, if only to listen to her voice, smell the perfume on her body...

Knives groaned aloud, causing Meryl to give him a curious and slightly frightened look, which he completely missed. He might as well admit it to himself, he was doomed. There was no turning back to the genocidal plant he had once been...at least not while she was around.

How he wanted to blame her! But he knew that this occurrence was no one's fault, not even his own. There was nothing left to do except to deal with it.

Looking at anywhere but her, Knives continued his explanation for why he'd come to December. "I've been...haunted, for lack of a better world."

"...Haunted?" Meryl brought a hand to her temple, trying to stem off the headache that was forming from her confusion. What _was_ he talking about?

Abruptly he locked his eyes on her, his gaze intense. "Yes, haunted." He took a step forward. "And by what, you ask?" A deep, mirthless chuckle issued from his throat as Knives continued toward her. His long strides quickly ate up the distance, one hand reaching out to cup her chin.

When she flinched away from his grasp he frowned, and dropped his hand. "You."

_Did she just miss something?_ "Huh?"

"Shall I say it slowly so that you will understand?" he mocked in a soft voice. Another mirthless laugh. "You are what has been haunting me. You have been disturbing my thoughts for the past few months; invading my mind persistently."

He was stalking her again; crowding in on her personal space. Meryl found herself trying to match his long legs, backing up until she hit a nearby wall. She felt dizzy. Was he really saying what she thought he was? Couldn't be. Knives Millions, human hater and mass-murder of said race had been thinking of her. In _that_ way?

Or was he saying something else? The urge to grab her now aching head intensified. With him coming closer, she decided to bite the bullet and outright ask him. "What are you trying to say, Knives?"

A typical Knives smirk appeared on his face, one full of supreme confidence and superiority. It also irritated the heck out of her. "What I'm trying to say," he purred, stopping before her, "is that I believe I am in love with you."

It was said in such a matter-of-fact way that Meryl didn't automatically understand what he was saying. When she did it was like a shock running up and down her spine. This _had_ to be the weirdest moment in her life. She had a vague thought that he might have been lying, trying to fool her, but that idea was quickly discarded. Knives was one thing, but a liar? She didn't believe so.

She caught onto the last words, particularly the "believe". "You're...not sure?"

He glared. "Do you think I've been through this before?"

"Of course not," Meryl quickly answered, holding her hands in front of her in a placating motion. "I'm just finding this a little hard to believe."

"You're not the only one..." he grumbled under his breath.

This time it was the insurance lady who was giving the evil look. "What was that?"

The plant sighed. "It doesn't matter. What we need to focus on is our next course of action."

"Our next course of action?" Meryl knew she was sounding like a broken record, but she really couldn't help it. This entire situation was too surreal for her brain to function properly.

Her not-so-intelligent remarks earned her a narrowing of his eyes. "Yes. I do not know how humans react in this type of situation. As you _are_ a human, your knowledge should be vastly greater than mine."

She blinked. "Exactly what type of "situation" are you talking about?"

His hands made quick motions between them. "Us. This mutual attraction."

Meryl blushed a deep red at the reminder of what he'd found in her mind. Yes, she had some tender feelings for the plant...Well, if she was honest with herself, the insurance lady would admit that there was more than a little love involved.

While at one point she'd thought that she'd felt the same for Vash. They'd even tried a short relationship that had started out nice, but soon became full of awkward and uncomfortable moments between them. It was then that they decided that their personalities didn't really suit one another. Meryl was serious and independent, while Vash took life as it came with no direction or control, two elements she cherished in a person.

They remained friends to this day and then they had gone back to their normal routine. Her job of taking care of Knives, both when he'd been unconscious and after he'd awoken, had developed something within her. This emotion had grown and flourished through their arguments and battles, the bandaging and healing. The feeling became something she eventually recognized for what it was: love.

The realization was earth-shaking and she'd locked herself in her room for hours, thinking over her situation. She was in love, but not with a normal guy. No, she had to fall in love with a genocidal maniac, brother of Vash The Stampede.

Eventually Meryl had decided that she would simply have to try and keep her emotions to herself. There was no reason for anyone else to find out, though the small girl was sure that Millie saw through her facade, she tried to keep her distance from Knives.

Fat lot of good it had done her. On that last, fateful day when the plant had been more irritable than normal she'd let her feelings show. His response to her had been painful and humiliating. Gathering what was left of her pride, she'd decided that leaving was for the best, no matter if it seemed as if she were running away.

So Meryl had left, left behind the object of her affections and gone back to December. Seeing Knives standing before her had been the biggest shock of her life. Her nerves had been jolted and the love she'd until then suppressed had jumped to the fore. Ruthlessly she'd pushed it back and dealt with the situation.

But now...now she had a decision to make. She could either accept her feelings for him and try to make it work for him, with the likely chance that he would reject her, or coddle her pride and miss this opportunity, maybe for forever.

A spark of daring, probably having rubbed off from Vash, flashed through her. She _would_ take this chance, even if it didn't work out.

The woman looked Knives straight in the eye, standing straight and tall. "Knives. I'd like to try and make this work." He opened his mouth to speak but she continued right through him. "I know you don't like humans and I'm probably on that list, but I'm not going to give up on this. And I don't care that mph-"

Her rant was effectively cut off by his hand over her mouth. His mouth was drawn in a serious line and Meryl waited with baited breath while he seemed to mull over something.

Slowly he let her go, his hand sliding away. Her body trembled with the fear of rejection, but stood her ground.

He eyed her, head tilted slightly to the side. "Are you serious?" The simple question took her off guard.

"Well...yes."

"Would this "agreement" require me to act the fool like human males do?"

A small ray of hope shone through, but Meryl kept it from her face. "I doubt you would do it regardless."

His brows rose. "Then it is a deal."

"Just like that?!" Meryl shrieked incredulously. The male flinched from the noise.

"There is no need to shout, woman. My ears work perfectly."

A bubble of laughter erupted from her mouth. That comment was so like him! But then again, that was the man she'd fallen in love with.

Taking up the familiar challenge of their "conversations", she replied in kind, "I wouldn't have if you hadn't been so calm about it."

"You would rather I panic?"

"No!"

From outside one could hear the shouts of two people. A young boy walked by with his mother. "Mom," he asked, "why are they fighting?"

The woman looked at her son and smiled. "Well, that is how those in love show their affection for each other."

The little boy glanced at the building where the loud noises were still emanating from. "So weird..."


	5. Never Ending Love

A/N: I've decided that the last chapter wasn't a good enough ending for this story. So, _this_ will be the final chapter.

Now, I need to go work on Roommates . . .

---------------------------------------------

**Chapter 5: Never-Ending Love**

'_They still fought like an old, married couple,'_ Vash thought to himself. He stood in the living room of the home Knives and Meryl had made for themselves. Richly decorated, the large area could comfortably fit a small army.

The two in question were at that moment shouting at each other. In one hand the woman waved a small and nonthreatening fist, in the other a cane. His brother seemed unaffected and unafraid of both.

Around them congregated their two children and their children. The first and second generation of something new and wonderful, a merging of up until now were two separate species.

Though, by watching the two parents, one would wonder if maybe them getting together wasn't more of a farce. Meryl Stryfe, insurance lady and foul tempered wench, married to Knives Millions, self-proclaimed destroyer of mankind marrying? It'd been fifty-one years and he still hadn't gotten used to the idea.

A gentle hand settled on his shoulder. Turning slightly, he found Millie standing behind him, a small smile on her face.

"Are they at it again?" Her soft voice flowed over him and he again thanked whatever entity had allowed him the opportunity to spend time with Millie. With her around, his usual bouts of self-depreciation and self-loathing had become things of the past. Her quiet confidence in him had spurred him on to become a leading technician in plant.

Along with Knives, they'd been able to create awareness of the need for more than one energy source. Even now they were developing a system which would harness the suns' rays into usable electricity. If everything went according to plan, the plants would soon find their burden a lot lighter.

Jerking himself out of such deep thoughts, he answered Millie's question, "Aren't they always?"

Chuckling, they fixed their stares on the other couple. Meryl and Knives had calmed down, having separated and started mingling amongst their family. But every now and then they would look back at the other and frown, obviously raring for another fight.

For a woman her age, the small insurance lady moved nimbly through the crowd. The epitome of a mother, she made sure that all the grandchildren received a hug and her attention.

"I'll be right back," Millie told him, then moved away toward the kitchen. And no wonder. The family ate through food like a pig in slop.

Vash felt a presence at his side and turned slightly, finding his twin standing next to him. The spiky-haired blond threw a brotherly arm around the frowning plant's shoulders. "Hey, Knives! Long time no see!"

Said male grunted in response and gave him a glare. Yep. Same old Knives.

"And what are you so joyful about?" Knives' gruff voice spoke of his exasperation with his brother's bright and sunny demeanor.

Vash faked a hurt expression. "What? Can't I be happy about seeing my one and only brother?"

Another grunt, this time of disbelief.

"It has been more than five years since we've seen each other," the golden blond pointed out.

Knives rolled his eyes. "Not near long enough."

The Stampede withdrew his arm . . . then slapped his brother hard in the back, causing the plant to be slightly thrown forward. "I know you don't mean that, Knives! You're just trying to put up that tough-guy act again!"

"Can't you quiet down?!" he hissed with narrowed eyes, looking very much like a snake. The expression very much reminded him of a certain violet-eyed person. Scary.

He held up his hands in defense. "Okay, okay. No more shouting." The Humanoid Typhoon suddenly sobered. "But how have you been? Seriously."

Knives straightened, shrugging his shoulders. "The same. The woman won't stop bugging me about watching my health." He sneered. "She seems to have gotten it into her head that I am getting fat."

His brother snickered, earning him another glare. "Sorry, but who would have thought that you'd ever adjust so well to married life?"

"It's not so much 'adjusting' as 'enduring' . . . " the former destroyer of mankind grumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

"If you say so . . . "

"I do."

Vash felt a large grin spread across his face. It was times like these that he was especially glad that he had saved his brother long ago in that small oasis.

Movement and noise across the room caught their attention and both males watched as their perspective wives came toward them, a large cake held between them.

"Happy anniversary!" they cheered.

"Is that what day it is . . . " Out of the corner of his eye Vash saw Knives' hands and eye twitch, sure signs he was annoyed by his forgetfulness.

What Vash had forgotten was that today was the fiftieth anniversary of both his and Knives' wedding day to Millie and Meryl. They'd decided on a double wedding to make the event simpler.

Back in the present the girls had set the confectionary on a nearby table and were cutting out slices. The plates with the treat were passed around until everyone was stuffing themselves and making light conversation. Their job done, the two insurance ladies made their way over to their husbands, a piece of cake in either hand. Over one arm Meryl still held her cane.

Both boys took their slices and Vash happily devoured his. He smiled his thanks as gulped the last bit down in under a minute. Meryl, who'd taken her place next to Knives rolled her eyes while Millie smiled prettily, her smooth complexion only adding to her beauty.

Vash mulled over that fact for what had to be the billionth time. You see, both Meryl and Millie had been slightly . . . altered. Rather than growing old as humans were wont to do, both had retained their youth to a certain degree. Instead of looking in their seventies both women had the appearance of being in their late twenties.

They'd discovered the age slowing ten years after their marriages. It had been impossible to tell the difference before then. Knives had taken it upon himself to study the phenomena and had eventually, after much research, figured out what had triggered the age slowing. He'd been loathe to tell them for the longest time and they had wondered why until he'd finally answered their question.

Apparently performing . . . a certain act with a plant was the prime factor. Knives' embarrassment at the topic had been noticeable in his slightly pink cheeks and he'd strictly told them never to ask him again. This was only after they (meaning Vash) had bugged him nonstop, continually asking what the cause was.

Still, it had worked in their favor and now they had mates who they could spend their lives with.

Yelling beside him caught Vash's attention and he shifted to find his brother and Meryl once again arguing, again over the same topic, the cane the woman held in one clenched fist. It had been a "present" from Knives that he'd given her earlier as a joke on the suggestion of one of their children.

Meryl was not amused.

"I am NOT old!"

"Woman, your age dictates that-"

SMACK!

'_Maybe giving her a cane hadn't been such a good idea...'_ Knives thought as he rubbed his head. Said male growled and lunged at his wife who shrieked and dodged away from his grasp, worming her way through the crowd with Knives hot on her heals.

It was obvious to all that they were in love.

Vash shook his head in amusement. Even after all these years they still felt so strongly toward one another.

One would think they were obsessed with each other.


End file.
